Petrol bombs rain down on police during night of violence in Belfast

About a dozen rioters wearing balaclavas pelted police with petrol bombs.

This is the harrowing moment petrol bombs rained down on police during the second night of far-right extremism across Belfast.

Footage shows rioters hurling missiles at multiple police vans, setting them alight, in the Sandy Row and Donegall Road areas.

Follow our live blog for all the latest updates from the far-right riots

One police vehicle is then seen engulfed in flames, while others start to pull away from the scene of the attack.

About a dozen rioters wearing balaclavas continued to throw the bombs, setting off small fires around the vans.

A police message warned the crowd to disperse as ‘force’ is about to be deployed against them.

‘Attention. Attention. This is a police message,’ the warning sounded from a police megaphone.

‘The crowd should disperse immediately as force is about to be used against violent individuals. No further warnings will be given.’

At least 100 people took to the streets of Belfast amid a planned anti-immigration protest at the Clayton Hotel, which then failed to materialise.

Officers in riot gear sealed off streets in the area, showing a ‘zero tolerance’ approach

Police warned had members of the public to stay away from certain areas of the city on Monday as they dealt with the violence.

Belfast was one of several cities that saw mass anti-immigration riots on Saturday.

Several businesses were attacked during the violence and owners said the Islamic community was deliberately targeted.

A café and several shops were burnt to ashes during the anti-immigration march.

Four men appeared in court on Monday to face charges linked to the unrest.

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